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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

So it's stupid hot in San Diego today so I figure it might be a good day to "shop" for a piano and try some grands out in an air conditioned show room. I have an upright a Sohmer 45 that I bought for $500 and that sounds really nice. I am a beginner pianist for the most part.

I tried a number of different Steinways and I left not really feeling all that impressed. They sounded sort of thin and uncomplex to me. They played nice, had good sustain but none of them made me go "wow".

The one that I played that I thought sounded the best was actually one of the smallest a sub 6 foot Mason and Hamlin. It had a delightful tone, rich bass singing trebles and had that pleasing complex resonance the best pianos have.

I truly expected to be in awe of the pianos I played but wasn't. Other than maybe the Mason and Hamlin none of them made me want to (whether I could or not) ditch my up upright and write a zero-heavy check.

Maybe I am just not good enough to bring out the sound of the instrument, but I have a pretty good ear so I don't know. Maybe just the showroom.

One way to develop your musical ear is to try singing and to listen to lots of good singers. Developing a vocal "sense" of how instrumental music can be produced will help to evaluate any instrument. After all "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that sing" to paraphrase the tune.

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In a seemingly infinite universe-infinite human creativity is-seemingly possible.According to NASA, 93% of the earth like planets possible in the known universe have yet to be formed. Contact: Ed@LightHammerpiano.com

Interesting OP because I just recently went and tested an Essex 5-8, a Boston 5-8 and a Steinway 6'ish and sort of had the same issue but if anything I was not blown away by the Steinway bass as I was expecting. There was the issue of my car AC dying recently and traveling under the sun with my "awesome" clear T-Top well..by the time I got to the store, I was burned out so I am doing the test again tomorrow morning under cooler temps.In any case, it takes time to hear the differences which is something I am learning a lot about based on the pianos I have had and tested. Now I am better at listening for the things I like and dislike and how the piano feels etc.

So yeah, I can relate to the confusion part...tomorrow I am taking my Zoom H2N to have it all recorded

The other thing about pianos is how much the work done on them can change the sound. It can really transform a piano dramatically.

johnnysd your posting is like a breath o` fresh air in a fusty place . . .someone who has not yet been brainwashed into the Steinway Worshipful Society. If you consider yourself a relative beginner, then you`ll find a host of cheap excellent older instruments which you can choose from, and which will give great satisfaction in playing and maintaining. Follow your ear and instincts, not the crowd. . .the name of the game is fun and achievemnet. And it`s in the music rather than the piano!

I tried a number of different Steinways and I left not really feeling all that impressed. They sounded sort of thin and uncomplex to me. They played nice, had good sustain but none of them made me go "wow".

Had someone said this about Chinese pianos [including the better ones among them.. ..] some of the hate mongers and nay-sayers here would fall all over themselves to poo-poo them immediately....

Amazing what one gets away with when being famous.

OP's experience is not that uncommon, not just involving Steinway.

Great names can disappoint and often - do.

Greatness and inspiration can be found - sometimes in most unsuspecting corners...

The OP johnny calls it confusion, while I'd say he already is a discriminating pianist and on the right track. Please start playing many grands of various makers, in multiple showrooms. You'll start to find what pleases you.

So it's stupid hot in San Diego today so I figure it might be a good day to "shop" for a piano and try some grands out in an air conditioned show room. I have an upright a Sohmer 45 that I bought for $500 and that sounds really nice. I am a beginner pianist for the most part.

I tried a number of different Steinways and I left not really feeling all that impressed. They sounded sort of thin and uncomplex to me. They played nice, had good sustain but none of them made me go "wow".

The one that I played that I thought sounded the best was actually one of the smallest a sub 6 foot Mason and Hamlin. It had a delightful tone, rich bass singing trebles and had that pleasing complex resonance the best pianos have.

I truly expected to be in awe of the pianos I played but wasn't. Other than maybe the Mason and Hamlin none of them made me want to (whether I could or not) ditch my up upright and write a zero-heavy check.

Maybe I am just not good enough to bring out the sound of the instrument, but I have a pretty good ear so I don't know. Maybe just the showroom.

Anyone ever have an experience like this?

Yes indeed, Mr Johnnysd,

Possibility #1You get out of your car after driving for a while and your ears are somewhat jaded from the road noise, you walk over to the Steinway and expect great things, and it isn't there. Mason & Hamlin, famous for its fat sound, sounds just right in your condition. My piano sounds fantastic to me first thing in the morning, much less so if I play right after driving home from work.

Possibility #2, Steinway has been documented to have moved from over-hardening their hammers with lacquer that is used to get acceptable sound right out of the box, so they need more playing now to settle and get impacted. Much of the work when playing a new Steinway key (or an old one with new hammers) is compacting the hammer wool. In this case, it would be better if someone in the Steinway value chain properly pounded the hammers before the customer plays...

Possibility #3. Steinway can't make a good piano anymore, and in the electronic keyboards and synth forum, the cool thing will no longer be to get the best digital sampling of the Steinway D, but a Hailun piano or the like. Not the probably scenario, but for completeness, it can't be dismissed.

I know there are a lot of Steinway bashers but I think several good points have been made here that explain the Steinway process. They get better once they are played in. I bought a Mason-Hamlin BB and love it, but my daughter's Steinway L (much smaller than my seven-footer) is pretty impressive now that it has been played for a few years. I wouldn't trade with her, but if I could have afforded a seven-foot Steinway B, I think I would have been tempted. (You probably know the price difference is a lot!) I also agree with posts here that say it takes technique to achieve the best tone on any decent piano. I will spend the rest of my life trying to improve enough to deserve my fine piano. Visitors make it sound really special. I don't.

pianoloverus
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Registered: 05/29/01
Posts: 21717
Loc: New York City

Originally Posted By: Chopinlover49

I know there are a lot of Steinway bashers but I think several good points have been made here that explain the Steinway process. They get better once they are played in.

If that's the case, the company or dealer should use the mechanical playing machines for as long as it takes to get the pianos played in before they appear on the showroom. Especially when one buys an expensive piano, one should not have to guess how the piano will sound when it's played in or go for some years with an under performing piano.